The Madness of Merlin
by Gryphinwyrm7
Summary: It was supposed to be a nice relaxing trip to Old Camelot, a chance for Arthur to show some of his new friends his old stomping grounds. He had no idea just what horrors awaited him...Brought about by the very man who taught and raised him.
1. The Madness Begins

**The Madness of Merlin**

 **March 10** **th** **, 1999**

 **Into the Mystic**

Kelpie sat at the laptop and adjusted the video camera.

"All right, Lex, Amp," she said. "Can you see me?"

"Yep!" Lex's voice said, coming from the speakers. "And…what about us?"

"Uh…No, I'm afraid not," Kelpie replied back. "Just a bunch of blurry pixels."

"Drat!" Lex replied.

"It's all right, Luv," Amp said over the speaker. "I'm sure we can get it working with a little smarts and a little elbow grease."

"Oh, that reminds me," Lex said. "I've been working on this Anti-virus program, and I was hoping that you and Amp might double check my work."

"Oh I'd love to," Kelpie replied.

"You've got Mail!" the computer pinged. Kelpie opened up the folder and began looking over the file code that Lex had sent her.

"Bless me bagpipes, Lexington," Kelpie breathed. "This is bloody brilliant."

"Told you," Amp said. "And Kelpie is a girl who knows her tech."

"I mean, I didn't make the original virus," Lex replied. "Just the Anti-viral derivative."

"And it's still bloody brilliant," Kelpie said. "Lex you've got to let me know when you've got this thing finished! I've said for years that Loch Ness's computer network weren't secure, but there's no been any money in th' budget ta do so!"

"Oh! Of course your clan can have it, Kelps!" Lex said the screen suddenly flickered and Lex and Amp's faces appeared.

"Hey! I can see you now!" Kelpie said.

"You're at Into the Mystic?" Amp said frowning.

"Aye," Kelpie said. "Una wanted me to help her with inventory for the website."

"Don't forget to wear a cloak, love," Amp said. "Clan rules. If you're in the shop and it isn't closed, even upstairs or in the back room, you wear a cloak."

"Aye, I've got one," Kelpie said, rolling her eyes. The cloak was draped over her chair. "I just dinnae see the point of the bloody thing. E'ryone already knows about 'the Soho Griffins'."

"Plausible deniability love," Amp said. "Please just make sure you're careful. I really don't want the Quarryahoos setting up a London Branch."

"Aye I suppose you have a point," Kelpie said, cloaking her wings, and then pulling the cloak over her shoulders. "Better?"

"Takes a load off of my mind, that's for sure," Amp replied. "So. Updating the website's inventory, 'eh? How do you like being th' new me?"

"You're pretty big hooves to fill, I won't lie," Kelpie admitted. "I dinnae realize when I moved here that I'd basically be taking over yuir old jobs."

"What can I say," Amp said grinning. "I am pretty awesome."

"Humble too," Kelpie said rolling her eyes.

"And you're the only other gargoyle awesome enough to keep up with me, obviously," Amp continued.

"Well when you put it that way." Kelpie said. She heard the sound of the bell ringing downstairs.

"Sounds like a late night customer," Kelpie said. "Gotta go."

"Thanks for being our sounding board, Kelps!" Lex said.

"Later ya goofs," Kelpie said, shutting off the camera and the Internet connection. The Scottish gargoyle turned and headed down the stairs.

To her relief, it was not a customer. She wasn't sure she wanted to work the register anyway—Leo and Una were out on late night patrol. They trusted her enough to run the shop, but she didn't like the idea of actually doing that. Still, she'd joined the London Clan, and that made Una her leader. She would show Una the same respect she had shown her old leader back at Loch Ness.

Griff and Arthur trudged into the shop, soaking wet.

"It's no raining out," Kelpie commented. "What happened to the two of you?"

` "I would rather not talk about it," Arthur said, sighing heavily.

"Finn MacCool threw us into the ocean," Griff said. Arthur sighed heavily again.

"I should very much like to take a long, and hot shower," Arthur said dejectedly.

The shop bell rang again as Macbeth stepped into the shop carrying a drink carrier with four Nightstone's Coffees in them.

"Pendragon?" he asked, frowning. "I thought I saw you down the street. What in the world happened to you?"

"Finn MacCool," Griff said.

"The Irish folk hero?" Macbeth wondered.

"The same," Arthur said. "He refuses to look beyond Ireland, and has fallen in with a rather violent young woman…"

"Irish nationalist," Griff explained further. "Arthur's hoping to try and get Finn to look at the larger stage that The Lady of the Lake spoke of."

"But Finn will have nothing of it," Macbeth said sympathetically. "I can sympathize. I brought you that hot chocolate that you like."

"I definitely could use it," Arthur said, smiling and accepting the beverage. Macbeth quietly offered two more to Griff and Kelpie, who eagerly accepted.

"We are still on for this weekend, right?" Macbeth asked, taking a sip of his own coffee.

"Of course Macbeth," Arthur said smiling. "I'm actually looking forward to a leisurely trip to my old castle. Between finding Merlin, and fighting Fion, I think a weekend of reminiscing is well earned." 

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Merlin starred blankly at the seemly random assortment of items that Una had placed upon the table in front of him.

"It appears to be a…glass bauble? A leather cord. Mandrake root? Powdered snake skin. Extract of Eel saliva?"

"I want you to make a Glamour Charm," Una said.

A troubled look passed over Merlin's face.

"No," Merlin snapped irritably.

"Merlin," Una said. "If you ever want to reclaim your magic, you must practice it! Magic is a skill like any other."

"If you want a Glamour Charm so much, you make one!" Merlin snapped.

"I can't," Una said through gritted teeth. "To cast a glamour is Third Race magic."

"Nonsense," Merlin responded. "There's a perfectly good Glamour Charm in the _Grimorum Arcanorum_."

"Oh really?" Una said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Would you happen to know where that Spell book is? Because I don't happen to have a copy!"

"It is my understanding that the Archmage consumed the book before laying siege to Avalon," Arthur said entering the loft of the shop.

"HE ATE THE GREATEST SPELLBOOK EVER PENNED?!" Merlin demanded angrily.

"As much as we could gather from questioning the Weird Sisters, yes," Arthur replied.

"Regardless," Una said. "Even if I had a spell book that you could use to make a Glamour Charm—"

"Not making one," Merlin interjected.

"Mortal Sorcery wouldn't be useful to you anyway," Una continued, ignoring Merlin's protest.

Merlin stared daggers at the equine gargoyle.

"Una," Arthur said. "I would like to use the shower in the shop to cleanse myself after our abysmal failure of a quest."

"Of course, Arthur," Una said, nodding at the once and future king. "After which the guest room here at the shop is at your disposal."

"I thought that's where I was sleeping?" Merlin demanded.

"You are not sleeping," Una said. "You are making a Glamour Charm!"

"I can return to Sir Griff's quarters at _Knight's Spur_ after my shower," Arthur said coolly. He turned and walked down the hall to the washroom, wisely attempting to avoid getting in between this clash of wills between the two sorcerers.

"Mortal Sorcery comes as a result of channeling magic from external sources through a conduit," Una said.

"Are you quoting magical theory to me?" Merlin demanded.

"While the Magic of the Third Race…The Magic that Nimue stole from you," Una said. "That comes from the well of magic deep within you. As a mortal sorceress, I am incapable of such magic. But as the Halfling-son of Oberon, it's just what you need to exercise and replenish your magical reserves."

"I don't do Glamour Charms," Merlin snapped angrily. "And don't patronize me by quoting Magical Theory. I invented Magical Theory! I wrote down Magical Theory in the Grimorum ten times a hundred years before your great-grandmother was a hatchling!"

"Glamour charms are about the simplest cheapest Third Race magic there is!" Una argued back. "It takes no effort and it's a perfect place for you to start! Give me one good reason why you shouldn't make a glamour charm and I'll leave it alone."

"The last time I made a Glamour Charm," Merlin hissed in a loud, angry whisper. "Uther Pendragon used it to trick another man's wife into his bed!"

Una's eyes widened. Merlin's eyes flickered blue and the wizard stormed down the stairs into the main floor of the shop, leaving Una standing in the upper loft in stunned silence.

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 **March 12** **th** **, 1999**

 **Into the Mystic**

Griff and Kelpie stood outside of the shop in their cloaks. A double-decker bus pulled up next to the shop, the doors opening. The two gargoyles glanced up at the gradually lightening sky.

"Can't say I feel comfortable about the bus," Griff said quietly. "But we can't very well cram the group into the Clan's lorry now can we."

"Up awfully early, aren't we Mandy?" Kelpie said, addressing the copper-skinned woman who cheerfully bounced up to the pair of gargoyles.

"Or up late, if you never went to bed," she chirped. "I made vegetable samosas as a snack for your group."

"You didn't have to," Griff said, gratefully accepting the bag anyway.

"I know," Mandy said in a singsong voice.

"Ah good," Arthur said, stepping out of the shop. The Once and Future King wore a plain red sweater and khakis, and a blue trench coat. "Our transport has arrived."

Griff handed the paper bag of samosas to Arthur. "Given the time, I'd rather not loiter outside.

"Kelpie," Mandy said, turning towards the Loch Ness gargoyle. "I can take your cloak inside if you'd like?"

"Ach," Kelpie exclaimed. "I'll be inside presently. But you can take the cloak."

The two of them ducked inside the shop, Mandy quickly turning the sign to "Closed".

"The others aren't here yet?" Griff wondered.

"Aye," Arthur nodded. "They appear to be waylaid."

"It's almost dawn," Griff said.

"Then let us board," Arthur said. "We can await the others inside."

The pair of them approached the bus and the doors swung open.

"Nice mask," the American bus driver commented towards Griff. "What are you headed to a costume party?"

"Something like that," Griff said dryly. Griff made his way to the back of the bus and then climbed the stairs to the second level of the Double-Decker bus. He glanced out the window and saw Leo, Una, and Kelpie taking positions on the balcony of the shop. Kelpie grinned and waved at him. Griff rolled his eyes, and then took a crouching position. He dug his talons into the floor in order to provide a little more stability, knowing that the vehicle would be moving during the trip.

The dawn broke over the London skyline. Leo, Una, and Kelpie turned to stone on the shop balcony. Griff turned to stone on the upper level of the double-decker bus, his cloak remained untouched by the Humility Spell.

Down below Macbeth had arrived and joined Arthur on the first level. The two royals were calmly chatting away, when Merlin angrily stormed onto the bus.

"Merlin," Arthur said, standing up and turning towards his teacher. "Are you and Una still feuding?"

"I am not feuding," Merlin scowled, taking a seat opposite where Macbeth and Arthur had settled.

"Sorry we're late," Lydia Duane called from the front of the bus.

"Duane insisted upon bringing all of our equipment," Arthur Morwood-Smyth explained apologetically. To prove his point, he placed several large bags upon the seats of his bus.

Merlin frowned, sniffing the air.

"You..." Merlin said standing up and approaching the two startled archeologists. "You have been touched by my magic! I can feel its aura upon you!"

"Do you think that they have encountered Nimue?" Arthur Pendragon wondered looking at his teacher.

Merlin closed his eyes and held up his hands. A soft blue glow surrounded the archeologists.

"The seeker of knowledge need fear nothing here," Merlin said, "The destroyer, everything…"

"How did you know that phrase?" Arthur Morwood-Smyth wondered.

Merlin opened his eyes, which were glowing blue; they flickered slightly and then returned to normal. He sighed heavily.

"It was just the security spell I placed upon my chest," Merlin's face brightened slightly. "So…did you enjoy my scrolls?"

The Archeologists stopped breathing briefly, suddenly taking the wizard in.

"Lydia Duane and Arthur Morwood-Smyth," Arthur said. "It is my pleasure to introduce my friend and teacher; Merlin Ambrosius."

Macbeth chuckled as Morwood-Smyth swooned slightly and Lydia Duane caught him. Fleur boarded the bus, and smiled at the assembled travelers, as Arthur Pendragon made his way towards the front of the bus.

"That is all of us," Arthur said to the American driver. "You may depart."

The bus moved forward but then suddenly lurched to a violent stop.

"What just happened?" Duane asked. Pendragon and Fleur glanced out the front of the bus.

"We appear to have rear-ended a lorry in front of us," Pendragon commented dryly.

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Griff awakened with a triumphant roar and shook shards of stone skin off of himself. He glanced around the bus. Someone, probably Fleur or Pendragon had removed his cloak during the day and folded it up neatly upon the bus seat beside him.

The gargoyle glanced out the window. The bus was parked next to the bed and breakfast that Arthur had stayed in on their previous trip. He could see the white sign nearby.

 **Lindwyrm, Wales**

 **Pop, 16**

An absolutely tiny Welsh village somewhere between Carmarthen and the Pembrokeshire Coast was the closest modern settlement to where Camelot had once stood. They'd gone out there once before during the Quest to find Merlin. Griff knew the way of course. What was once Camelot could be found about ten kilometers north of the village, in a rather thick forest.

Climbing out of an open bus window and onto the roof of the vehicle, Griff opened his wings and began mentally gauging the air currents. Fortunately, this close to sunset there were plenty of warm thermals rising up off of the roads and rooftops of the tiny village.

Thermals were the best friends of gargoyles in flight. The easiest way to gain altitude and coast upward was to ride a thermal.

Griff glanced into the windows of the bed and breakfast. He could see the bus driver sprawled out, sleeping on the bed in one room, and Pendragon's trench coat lain out on the bed of a second room, but Arthur, Macbeth, Fleur, Merlin, and the two Archeologists were nowhere to be seen.

This bothered Griff. Supposedly, they were supposed to visit the ruins of Camelot during the day, but be back by sunset. They were not supposed to linger.

Griff launched himself off the bus, taking a thermal up about 40 feet in the air and catching a wind-current. He glided out over the forest near the town, making excellent time. He landed at the edge of a small lake, spotting the castle ruins easily from the air, though they we impossible to spot from the ground due to the forest.

He landed at the base of what used to be a tower.

The castle itself didn't really exist anymore. It had been buried in a mudslide hundreds of years before. Long enough that trees were growing on top of the ruins. The only part of the castle that still stood was a tower that had caved in on one side. According to Arthur the last time that they visited, the tower was once the rookery for the Camelot Clan of gargoyles.

The rest of the castle was in fact a giant mound of earth, the broken tower stuck out of the earth like a chimney on a house.

On their previous trip here, he and Arthur had spent several nights digging their way into the mound were the castle gates had once stood. Their handiwork from last time had clearly been expanded upon, Griff presumed by the two Archeologists, who rather knew how to excavate earth better than he and Pendragon did.

There was now a ten-by-five foot hole in the mound, revealing an open tunnel into the ruins. Griff reached for his Lightning Gun, pulling it out of a belt-holster that Leonidas had recently given him.

"Macbeth!" Griff exclaimed in horror, running to the immortal Scotsman's side. He lay strewn against the partially crumbled wall, blood gushing from a wound in his head, or at least, a former wound in his head, as the magic keeping him alive had already patched him up.

"Mac, what happened here?" Griff asked, shaking the Scot, he groaned softly glancing up at Griff.

"Lad," he said. "Look out behind ye!"

Griff heard a massive snort, and leapt to his feet and spun around. A pure white boar with glowing red eyes about the size of a carthorse was staring him down. It pawed at the ground. Griff noticed with horror that its tusks were covered with fresh blood. He prayed it was only Macbeth's blood.

The boar let out a bone-chilling bellow and charged at him.

Griff fired his Lightning Gun at the beast who stopped short and shrieked in pain. A red glow surrounded the beast and suddenly, to Griff's horrified shock, Merlin stood in the creature's place, his eyes still glowing red.

He let out a terrifying cackle and transformed again. A massive black bear with glowing red eyes bore down on Griff. The gargoyle hesitated, but slowly raised his weapon again.

 _ **To Be Continued…**_


	2. The Madness Ends

**March 12** **th** **, 1999**

 **Camelot Ruins, near Lindwyrm, Wales**

 _Four hours earlier…_

"The tower," Arthur Pendragon said "Was the rookery for the Camelot Clan of gargoyles."

"Like your knight, or Elisa Maza's friends," Lydia Duane said. ""More than just mere legends." She glanced back at Macbeth and Merlin, who were examining where Griff and Arthur had dug into the castle from their previous trip.

"Living breathing guardian statues that come alive at night," Lydia continued.

"Quite," King Arthur said. "It puzzles me to no end that one of the noblest and most honorable races in Creation has faded into myth and legend. Though I wonder if they might have had help in that."

King Arthur turned and glanced over at Fleur, who silently nodded.

"Sir Percival has kept himself busy," Pendragon commented bitterly.

"What was that?" Lydia asked.

"Nothing," Pendragon said, shaking off his thoughts.

"You certainly do seem to hold the gargoyle species in high regard, your majesty," Morwood-Smyth commented.

"I was raised among them," Pendragon said. "The once-largest clan in all of Britain was at _Tintagol_ and a rather small clan, not much larger than Goliath's dwelt at my foster father Sir Ector's castle."

"Back in the day," Merlin commented as he and Macbeth approached the group, "Having a gargoyle clan guarding your castle was something of a status symbol. If you were well-to-do, you had a gargoyle clan."

"A far cry different than my time," Macbeth said quietly. "By the 11th century, the English had wiped out most of the clans in Britain, and Constantine III had damned near done the same for Scotland."

"The plight of the First Race does weigh heavily upon my heart," Pendragon said.

"First Race?" Arthur Morwood-Smyth commented.

"Because they were Created on the Fifth Day?" Arthur said frowning. "Thus they preceded us."

"Gargoyles walked this Earth long before man," Macbeth clarified. "They are the First Race. Humanity is the Second Race. T'was once common knowledge. Less so now."

"I saw something in Merlin's cave that made reference to the 'Third Race'," Lydia said.

"The Third Race is Oberon's Children," Merlin said. "The Fair Folk. Beings of pure magic."

"They're real?" Lydia whispered.

"As real as I am dear," Merlin said smiling. "Seeing as I am of their blood on my father's side."

"Oberon has forbidden direct interference in Mortal Affairs," King Arthur explained calmly. "So the knowledge of the existence of the Third Race has fallen into the realm of myth and legend. But they are very much still around."

"We can share more details on the history of the Three Races later," Macbeth said. "I for one would like to see inside!"

"There is not much left to see," Arthur admitted. "Much of the old structure has been buried in earth. Sir Griff and I managed to make it to the Treasury, which had been emptied. But the Great Hall was cut off to us."

"Surely I can assist with removing whatever obstacles are between the courtyard and the great hall," Merlin commented dryly.

"Merlin," King Arthur noted, "What magic could you possibly use to aid us? Nimue has—"

"I'm still capable of shape shifting, Wart," Merlin scoffed. "Maybe not others like in the old days, but myself, easily."

Merlin slammed his staff down, and the hole that King Arthur and Griff had clamed into the castle in previously expanded to ten-feet-by-five feet.

"Besides," Merlin said, wheezing slightly, trying and failing to cover up the exhaustion he'd felt after exerting that spell.

"I still know a few magic tricks," Merlin gasped.

King Arthur took point, stepping inside the massive mound that used to be Camelot. He could see the others climb in behind him. Then Merlin crossed the threshold of the cave.

Instantly the underground courtyard was illuminated with red light, as runes all throughout the walls began glowing bright red.

Merlin let out a yelp and staggered forward, clutching his head.

"You shouldn't have come here, Merlin!" a feminine voice echoed throughout the cavern.

" _Son of Oberon, hear my voice; You've crossed the threshold you have no choice,_ "the woman's voice declared. _"Mother's madness will now you bear, till Dragon's death you feel despair!"_

"Morgana!" King Arthur declared, drawing Excalibur and looking around the courtyard frantically.

"Arthur," Merlin said, stumbling forward and clutching his head. "You should be running now…"

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 _Now…_

Griff raised his Lightning Gun, "Merlin, I don't want to shoot you," Griff said. The gargoyle hesitated as the bear snarled and lumbered forward. Griff took aim and fired. The bear bellowed in pain.

"But I will if I have to," Griff smirked.

The bear snarled and reverted back to human shape, his eyes still glowing blood red.

"Merlin?" Griff asked.

"Merlin?" the wizard replied. "Who is Merlin? I'm the Doctor. No I'm not. I'm Malcolm Tucker. Wait…No…I'm Rabbit!"

"Merlin, you're not making sense," Griff said.

"Not making sense!" Merlin yelled back. "You're the bear eating marmalade!"

"I'm just going to shoot you again," Griff said. "It seems easier than dealing with this…"

Merlin cackled and glowed red, his body suddenly expanding into that of a large black wolf, his eyes still glowing red. He surged towards Griff faster than the gargoyle could react and clamped his jaws down on Griff's arm, biting through Griff's armband; it shattered apart in Merlin's maw.

Griff let out a yelp of pain and dropped his Lightning Gun. Which Macbeth caught and fired at the wolf.

"Thanks," Griff whispered hoarsely. He glanced at his arm. He was bleeding.

"Come on lad," Macbeth said, handing the weapon back to Griff. Merlin was already recovering, the wolf shaking itself off and snarling.

"What's going on here?" Griff wondered as the helped Macbeth down one of the dark corridors. The wolf turned to bound after them. Griff fired at the canine and it staggered back for a moment.

"Near as we can figure," Macbeth said. "Morgana le Fay left a magical trap for Merlin in the ruins of Camelot. A spell designed to drive him mad."

"He's definitely pretty mad," Griff commented. "But this isn't a simple spell. To turn someone mad…a mystical power source is required. And to keep him mad, a release clause centered around that power source must have been invoked in the spell."

"Your clan does know its magic," Macbeth admitted, surprised. "I surmised the same thing. Which is why I separated from Pendragon and the Archeologists. I am not easily slain. So I could created a diversion while they—"

"Sought the spell's source," Griff completed the sentence. "Good plan. So Arthur's all right?"

"Aye," Macbeth said. "I used my own Tesla Blaster to clear a path until Merlin smashed it. Kind of actually wish I'd read the wizard's scrolls now. I might have found a weakness."

Griff let out a soft chuckle at that as Macbeth paused at the end of a hallway, his brow furrowing.

"What's wrong?" Griff wondered.

"There was a door here," Macbeth said. "It's where I left Pendragon and the others.

"I don't see-," Griff started to say, when a pair of hands suddenly reached out of the wall and yanked Griff and Macbeth through the wall. They passed underneath some sort of cloth curtain or drape.

"Sssh!" Pendragon whispered.

"What in the world?" Griff glanced over. From this side, it was easy to see. A cloak, not unlike that of the cloak he had worn when they departed _Into the Mystic_ was draped over the doorframe.

"Is that what I think it is?" Griff wondered.

"The Mantle of King Arthur," Morwood-Smyth said, from across the room. Griff looked around. The Archeologists both had flashlights, which might as well have illuminated the entire room to his sensitive gargoyle eyes. "One of the Thirteen Treasures of Great Britain. I literally tripped over it."

Griff recognized the room they were in. It was once Arthur's treasure chamber, he'd been there once before. The Once and Future King had collected a dozen coins from the chamber floor, and with Una and the Archeologists help, he'd sold them at auction last year.

"It was draped over this chest of gemstones," King Arthur said, gently tapping the chest with his boot. "Guinevere's dowry from her father."

"Nice,' Griff said. "But what about…"

"The source of the spell, whatever it is," Arthur said. "It is not in here. But I do not wish to leave Lady Duane and Lord Morwood-Smyth unprotected. Not while Merlin is succumbing to the Madness of Mab."

"Mab?" Morwood-Smyth asked, frowning.

"Queen Mab," Arthur clarified. "The Ruler of the Third Race before Oberon. She was quite mad. Merlin seldom spoke of her. And when he did, it was in hushed, deadly fear. It is my understanding that he helped Oberon overthrow her, but the fight was not a pleasant one."

Lydia Duane swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

"I'm sorry that this expedition has not turned out quite as we planned it," Arthur said to the two Archeologists. "I never meant for Merlin to attack us. Nor did I intend to overwhelm you with information that shakes your very worldview."

"Nonsense you majesty!" Morwood-Smyth snapped in response, surprising Arthur. "Learning that there was a real-live space alien living underneath Rapa Nui shook my worldview. Learning that the policewoman who helped us protect the Scrolls of Merlin was friends with a clan of gargoyles _and_ knew King Arthur shook my worldview. This…this is nothing. I'm afraid that you can only shake someone's worldview so many times before they get used to it. Well we're used to it. And while we didn't ask for Merlin to go crazy…we want to help you fix it."

"Have I mentioned that I like these two?" Griff commented.

"As do I," Arthur said. "I'm not sure exactly how they can help but…"

"If I may," Lydia said. "How deep into these ruins did you get last time you were here?"

"Just as far as this treasure room, why?" Griff wondered.

"Well," Lydia said. "This is Morgana le Fay we're talking about here. If she's anything like the stories say, she's got a bit of an ego on her. Am I right?"

King Arthur nodded in confirmation.

"She probably didn't expect Merlin to show up with anyone else," Morwood-Smyth continued his partner's thought. "Since Arthur claims to have awakened early."

"I did, I assure you, awaken early," Arthur said.

"So if I was an egomaniacal sorceress," Lydia said,

"Hell-bent on driving Merlin insane with a Magical Trap," Morwood-Smyth continued.

"Then there's only one place that I'd set that trap," Lydia continued.

Inspiration hit everyone at once.

"The Round Table!" King Arthur, Arthur Morwood-Smyth, Griff, Lydia, and Macbeth all said at once.

"In the Great Hall," King Arthur offered. "It's not far from this room if we…"

The Once and Future king was cut off by the sound of a low growl. Merlin's wolf head had ducked under the mantle and the wizard-turned-lupine now stood in the doorframe.

"The Mantle his us from sight," Griff said. "But he's a wolf. He _smelled_ us."

The wolf let out a series of chuckle-like growls.

Macbeth suddenly let out a loud Gaelic war cry and leapt upon the wolf's back.

"Now!" the Scottish King cried out. "While he's distracted!"

Griff dropped to all fours and darted around the immortals fighting on the ground. He grabbed the Mantle of Arthur and threw it over his shoulder.

"This way!" Arthur yelled, pointing down a long corridor. Several piles of rubble and half-rotted wooden beams ahead blocked the path. Griff fired his Lightning Gun several times, blasting the larger piles of rubble apart. Climbing over the other piles the group quickly made its way down the corridor, before entering a large, open area.

The moment that they entered a number of torched on the wall ignited, illuminating the room well enough that even the humans could see clearly by orange fire-lit glow.

The Round Table, such as it was, was cracked in half, and lay in two half-circles on either side of the room. The once massive stained glass windows that allowed natural light to pour into the room were gone, shattered and turned to dust centuries ago.

And in the center of it all, a massive stone dragon, with a giant emerald-green stone in the center of its chest.

"Sir Griff," Arthur said, his eyes falling upon the sight of the dragon. "Does that…"

"Look like the same bloody dragon from the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens?" Griff finished Arthur's thought.

The moment he said it, the creature shuddered, his eyes glowing as it roared to life.

"Take cover my friends," Arthur said to the Archeologists. He directed them to one half of the round table.

The Timeless King then turned towards where he'd last spotted Griff, but to his surprise, could not find the gargoyle.

The dragon roared again and issued a blast of fire from his jaws that nearly incinerated Arthur, had he not jumped at the last possible second.

At that moment, Merlin-in-Wolf form bounded into the room. The Dragon immediately turned his attention to the wolf, blazing him with flames immediately.

The burned wolf glowed and transformed back into wizard form. He let out an angry cry and the red glow surrounded him.

A moment later a tyrannosaurus rex with glowing red eyes stood in Merlin's place. It roared and snapped at the stone dragon.

"I knew that I shouldn't have let Lunette watch Jurassic Park with Merlin the other night," Griff's voice muttered from behind Arthur. The king turned in surprise, but still couldn't see the gargoyle.

The dragon issued forth another stream of flame, before stopping short, suddenly. Claw marks had formed in the emerald-green stone on the dragon's chest.

The Mantle of Arthur fluttered off of Griff's back as the gargoyle shredded the magical stone that was embedded in the dragon's chest. The dragon suddenly crumbled apart into gravel, and Griff staggered to the ground. Battered, and still bleeding profusely from his right arm.

Arthur immediately ran to his knight's side, helping the gargoyle to his feet, and wishing profusely that he might share the magic of the sheath of Excalibur with Griff, but knowing full well that the weapon did not work that way.

The T. rex looked confused for a moment, and a blue-glow surrounded it, transforming back into the form of the wizard, still looking dazed and confused.

"Let me guess," Griff muttered in annoyance. "He doesn't remember."

"I wish," Merlin said. "No…I very much do remember everything. I think that Morgana wanted me to remember, even when my sanity returned. So as to punish me."

"Punish you for what?" Griff wondered.

"No more than what I deserver, Sir Griff," Merlin said. "And I am sane once more. And at least this time, I didn't hold any conversations with pigs."

"This time?" Griff said.

"Allow me to make it up to you," Merlin said, gesturing towards the broken round table.

" _Id redintegrare et restituere illud priore gloria Tarraconem est in mensa._ " The wizard said, and energy flowed out of his staff and into the round table. The ancient piece of furniture groaned and flowed together, rejoining and reforming. A moment later the Table sat in front of them, returned to its full glory.

Merlin staggered and Arthur and Griff immediately grabbed and supported the wizard.

"Look!' was all that the wizard said.

 _ **King Arthur Pendragon**_ appeared in golden letters in front of the King. On the right hand side, however;

 _ **Sir Griff of the London Clan**_

 __"Oh…" Griff said, blinking.

"Restored its magic," Merlin said. "Each new Knight's name will appear on the table…Just like in the old days. I…Am sorry for the trouble I caused."

"Nonsense," King Arthur said, waving his hand dismissively. "It was Morgana, not you."

"But she did prey upon a weakness that I already had," Merlin said grimly. "And if I had even just a fraction more magical power reserves…I might have fought her off."

"No harm is done, wizard," Macbeth said, entering the room. "You only mauled me, and it was only temporary. No need to dwell."

"Nevertheless," Merlin said, bowing his head in shame.

"Is that what I think it is," Macbeth said, noticing the restored table.

Arthur simply nodded.

Macbeth walked over to the table and placed his hands upon it. Tears began to well up in the Scottish king's eyes.

"The Round Table itself," Macbeth said. "As I live and breathe. A thousand years, and you think that you have seen everything, but even I never dreamed that I would see this table…"

"I think that I'm going to take Una up on that Glamour Charm after all," Merlin said as Macbeth and the Archeologists cooed over the table and the great hall, now that they looked around, they could see the crests of various knights adorning the walls.

"Humility is never an easy trait," Arthur said. "It can be hard to see ones own weaknesses, and even harder to ask for help."

"Don't you start acting wiser than me, Wart," Merlin muttered.

"But master," Arthur said playfully. "They're your words. Spoken to me oh so many years ago."

Merlin closed his eyes and smiled. He had never been prouder to be Arthur's teacher than at that very moment.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **Apex Tower, Manhattan**

 **March 12, 1999**

There was a soft green glow and Morgana le Fay reappeared in her apartment. She glanced over at a digital calendar.

"Nineteen-Ninety-Nine," she muttered. "I hate Avalon time. At least Lord Oberon finale gave me leave to depart. It only took—three years, apparently—of wheedling."

A Eurasian-Eagle Owl swooped down and landed next to the woman.

"Ah, Gwrlais," she purred happily. "Always happy to see me."

Suddenly red runestones lit up all over the darkened apartment.

Morgana's eyes widened in shock.

"He's loose! He set off my trap!" She darted over to a large dark paperweight on her desk, covered in Celtic Runes. She picked it up and it crumbled apart in her hands.

"And…He destroyed my trap, and the Stone Dragon…"

 _Typical._

She threw her hands up in the air and slumped into her sofa angrily.

"I need a weapon more powerful than a stupid dragon simulacrum if I want to kill that damned wizard. Something that even he couldn't possibly prepare for,"

Gwrlais flittered over and landed on the television remote. The TV over the fireplace mantle flickered on.

"Oh no! The Evil Ninjas have the Pack Surrounded! Do our heroes even stand a chance! Join us next time to find out!"

Morgana's eyes widened…and an evil grin spread across her face.

"Now there's a weapon I can use…"

 _ **Never the End…**_


	3. End Credits

With the voice talents of

 **Neil Dickson- Griff**

 **John St. Ryan- King Arthur Pendragon**

 **Peter Capaldi- Merlin**

 **Sarah Douglas- Una**

 **B.J. Ward= Lydia Duane**

 **John Rys-Davies- Macbeth, Arthur Morwood-Smyth**

 **Naomi Scott- Mandy**

 **Karen Gillan- Kelpie**

 **Alan Cumming- Amp/Staghart**

 **Thom Adcox- Lexington**

 **Catherine Tate- Morgana Le Fay**

 **Frank Welker- The Dragon, Merlin's Animal Forms**

 **Jim Cummings- TV Announcer**

 **Greg Bishansky- Bus Driver**

 **Check out the latest fics from Masterdramon; Hawaiki, also part of the Age of Gargoyles continuity.**

 **Check out the latest fics from Algernon84: Bad Blood, also part of the Age of Gargoyles Continuity**

 **Check out the latest fics from GregX: Aftermath, Also part of the Age of Gargoyles Continuity.**


End file.
